January 26, 2011

AJ...Your 2-year-old now...

An eye for details:

Your preschooler has an incredible eye and ear for details. Because he's learning about so many new things and experiences, he's attuned to sounds, colors, relative sizes, and movements that you probably tune out. Don't be surprised to hear him referring to "the clock that ticks" or "the mailman's blue hat."

Your child is also drawing relationships between things that share similar characteristics he's noticed: "Hey, Mister McGregor in Peter Rabbit has a beard and Santa Claus has a beard and Grandpa has a beard!"

This acute attention to detail explains why preschoolers are quick to observe changes (and often demand you right them to their former state), like rearranged furniture, a new haircut, or a ripped page in a book.

Your life now:

Is it okay to be naked around your 2-year-old? In a word, yes. Families choose to handle nudity in different ways, though. Your child is beginning to understand that his body is his own. If you're comfortable in your birthday suit, your child is likely to develop a similar comfort level about his body. If you prefer to teach that being naked in front of others is not appropriate, that's healthy, too, as it's something he'll learn later in the preschool years.

If your child shows any discomfort with your nudity (giggling, shielding his eyes), he's already catching on that wearing clothes is standard practice in public. At that point it's usually a good idea to cover up in front of him, while also explaining that it's okay to not wear clothes in private (say, in his room).